Remembrance Day Organ Recital

Wednesday, November 11 at 11:30 am. at St. Mary's Kerrisdale Anglican Church, 37th Ave. at Larch St. in Vancouver, following the 10:30 am Remembrance Day service.

Organist Susan Ohannesian plays Canadian organ music, including composers, Denis Bédard, Barry Cabena, Nicholas Fairbank, Paul Ohannesian and Healey Willan.

Admission by donation.

Minutes of Annual General Meeting
Royal Canadian College of Organists, Vancouver Centre
June 24, 2009 at Kerrisdale Presbyterian Church

Attendees:
Haruyo Abramson, Rachel Alflatt, Martin Anderle, Sam Balden, Denis Bedard, Anita Binnendijk, Peter Cass, Anne Dalton, Frank Ezinga, Henry Hageman, Michael Molnar, Catherine Mountain, Michael Murray, Bob North,
Susan Ohannesian

Business Matters:

1. Rachel Alflatt, president, welcomed the attendees.

2. Copies of the 2008 AGM minutes, prepared by Sam Balden, secretary 2007-2008, were distributed.

Comments:
- The bursary was not awarded in 2008.
- 2008 barbeque party was successful.

3. Copies of the RCCO Vancouver Centre financial report for 2008-2009 prepared by Tamar Genossar, treasurer, were distributed.

Comments:
- The Vancouver Centre receives $10/member.
- A sound technician was hired for the Halloween concert to create spooky sounds in between pieces for mood building.
- The Holy Rosary Cathedral belongs to the Alliance for Arts and Culture which publicizes concerts through 125 media.
- Although the expense for the Halloween concert was significant, the donation income for this concert was significantly more than for other concerts.
-Since 2010 Victoria convention is coming up, the money should be kept accessible.

4. Membership information - Rachel advised that she is awaiting an updated report from the National Office.

5. Review of activities:

- 2008 barbeque
- Halloween concert - not profitable, but drew more than 50 audience.
- Organ crawl
- DVD evening
- Jonathan Oldengarm recital and master class
- Members’ recital at St. Philip’s Anglican Church
- Our website is working well and looking great; thanks to Frank.

6. 2010 Victoria RCCO Convention update:

Dates: July 19 (Mon) – 21 (Wed) in Victoria, July 22 (Thur) in Vancouver

Ideas to be researched and decided:
- Hotel … e.g. Comfort Inn on Granville at Nelson, $189/night
- Transportation … chartered bus? school bus?
- Activities …
o Granville Island
o Holy Rosary Cathedral around 1:30pm for performance by Denis Bedard and organ try out
o Christ Church Cathedral for organ and cathedral history talk.
o Supper
o St. Andrew’s-Wesley for concert and reception
- Display
- Sell CDs?
- End time 9:30pm? Would members from Victoria want to go home instead of staying in Vancouver?
- Lighter concert at St. Andrews Wesley? - a concert with humor, fun, short (15-20 minutes)....looking for ideas.

Attendance: Often 200-300 people attended a major convention, especially in Ontario. However the Victoria convention will be a minor one with no national competition. We can guess the number of people attending Vancouver events would be less than 50.

7. The annual BBQ for the members and spouses will be at Sam and Mary Balden's home. Sam will provide BBQ machine and refreshments. Please bring your food to barbeque, barbeque it by yourself, and also bring a dish for sharing. Sam will send out an invitation with detail and choice of dates from July 25, August 3 and 9. Please respond to Sam.

8. Upcoming activities to be decided:

- Halloween Concert

It should be 1-2 days before the Halloween day. Since Halloween is Saturday this year, perhaps having a concert on Friday night (Oct. 30)? Booking for St. Andrew’s-Wesley should be through Darryl, not through the church office. We should contact Cindy and ask if she wants to organize again. Sam would do MC and also contact the sound person.

- Organ Crawl

Possibilities in the spring (early May):
UBC Recital Hall
St.Mary’s Kerrisdale
Chinese church on 15th Ave.
Michael Murray and Susan Ohannesian will find a date, book, and inform Rachel.

Possibilities in the fall
Westminster Abbey in Mission
Trinity Western University, Church of Good Shephard (White Rock)
We should ask Ron Fawcett to approach Westminster Abbey. Perhaps visit on a Sunday afternoon.

So far, we have been to: Christian Science, St. Phillip’s, Ryerson, Queen’s Ave, Holy Rosary, Gloria Dei, Christian Reform, West Van United, Frank's church.

- DVD Evening

Sam is happy to host again. Late January might be good. Susan will make popcorn. popcorn + wine.

- Traveling Clinician Recital and Workshop

We will have Jan Overduin, an Ontario organist, fairly well known.
Ideas for the workshop/master class:
∑ Something different might be more interesting.
∑ Goldberg Variations might be interesting.
∑ Should find out what his specialties are.

Dates: Victoria branch wants him on Friday evening, and we need to negotiate with Victoria for the possible recital and workshop dates.

- Members’ Recital for Spring 2010

∑ Perhaps at St. Mary's Kerrisdale? New console will be installed by Easter (April 4).
∑ Ryerson possibility?
∑ Haruyo to ask Gerald van Wyck (West Vancouver United)
∑ Do we want a members’ recital when there is the convention? It is good to have one recital a year.
∑ Perhaps late May.
∑ No theme - easier for people
∑ Susan and Robert will organize.

9. Other activities:

- Potluck supper? Maybe tied in with some activity, e.g. AGM?

- Should RCCO do some outreach or presentation event, perhaps calling it Pipes + Pizza, involving young people and music students in order to attract new members?

Ideas to attract new members:
∑ Maybe approach piano teachers and let them send their students to try out organ.
∑ There is an educational resource called POW (Pipe Organ Weekend or Pipe Organ Week) and resources are available from National head office.
∑ Perhaps commission a composer for some choir and organ pieces and do a concert.
∑ Approach choir(s) and build choir+organ piece(s) into their regular concert schedule.
∑ Festival in February, 10 days of interdisciplinary concerts, make an effort to go and hand out our flyer. (PUSH Festival?)
∑ Should make flyers, need to work on text and design. Frank will come up with ideas and Susan will look for the old flyer to help with promotion of the RCCO Vancouver Centre.

10. Election of Officers:
Directors- Bob, Sam, and Michael Molnar (new)
President - Rachel
Vice President - Frank
Treasurer Tamar
Secretary - Haruyo

11. Thanks
Haruyo Abramson, Secretary

May 23, 7:30pm, The Vancouver Centre of the Royal Canadian College of Organists presented a Members Organ Recital at St. Philip’s Anglican Church, 3737 West 27th Avenue, Vancouver (half a block west of Dunbar Street).

A humorous poem about organists on Sunday morning!

TheOrganistPoem.pdf

The lights were dim, the stained glass shrouded in darkness, the cavernous expanse of gothic architecture was filled only with the sounds of discordant foreboding. Although ominous, the atmosphere was mostly resonating with mischievous delight as the organ recital was about to begin. With performers in costume, decorations aplenty, a table full of edible treats, and good music in store, all looked forward to the spooky fun ahead.
At last, it all began with the first in a series of unique anecdotes (with sound effects), placed strategically to complement the recital program. As the performers began to display their skills, one couldn't help but notice how well the organ music itself was a dark, varied array of creative and artistic splendor. In addition to standards like Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" (played by John Mitchell) and Boellman's "Toccata" from the "Suite Gothique" (played by Tamar Genossar), there was an unexpected and dominating presence of newer writing. From Nobuo Uematsu's "Final Fantasy" video game music (played by David Poon), to Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera" (played by Michael Molnar), to a piece from Vancouver's own Denis Bedard for pedals alone (played by Rachel Alflatt). Yoon Park tackled the demanding Prelude from Durufle's only Suite, and Sam Balden, our Master of Ceremonies, performed extracts from the Kyrie of a little known mass (by Zbigniew Preisner), and the very well known Funeral March of a Marionette (by Charles Gounod). Not at all regular Sunday fare at St. Andrew's-Wesley, we were all grateful to Cindy Leung for organizing the event and Darryl Nixon for facilitating it's execution.

The organ itself was a magnificent beast, capable of creating subtle and eerie tones, and of generating a commanding wall of sound. Naturally, all were appreciative of every one of these elements as they combined to make this aesthetic event as noteworthy as it was. Many of the audience members were in costumes themselves, and all ensured that the festivities lingered well after the last mighty chord of the evening resonated through the echoing hall. Photos, a small reception, and merry chattering continued until the doors at last closed. With that end, this event became more than just a memory, it was in the hearts of many a memorable celebration of the music of the glorious king of instruments...the pipe organ!

Written by Michael Molnar

We are two organists from Scotland who are planning a vacation in the Vancouver area for July 2009. We know that getting a locum to play Sunday services during our vacation is very difficult, so we thought that we would offer our services to a church or churches in Vancouver to allow the resident organist to take a holiday during July. We are most familiar with the worship of the Presbyterian Church and as such, our strengths are hymn playing and choral items, rather than choral service playing. Our plans are at a very early stage, but the outline of our intentions are as follows: late June 2009 arrival in Vancouver, probably on a Friday; Sunday service in a Vancouver church during July play a Sunday service in a Vancouver church; during the week, we would have our vacation part of our trip; probably we would wish to spend some time on Vancouver Island; some time travelling to the north of Vancouver; perhaps some time travelling to the USA; perhaps even some time on a cruise end of July/ beginning of August Return to UK

What we are offering the church(es) one of us would play the Sunday service; and the other would conduct the choir if there were to be a choir contribution in the service if there were to be a choir, the anthems would be arranged with us in advance, prior to our departure from the UK and there would be a choir practice before the service on Sunday practice time in the church would be arranged for Saturday or before the service, depending on our travel arrangements if the church wishes, we would also offer a Sunday afternoon/evening concert of organ music depending on the situation, we could come to the same church for consecutive Sundays, or we could go to several churches for one Sunday each We would be in contact with the relevant church(es) well in advance, to arrange any choral items of worship, and we would hope to have the hymns prior to our departure from the UK, though this is not absolutely essential, provided that the music is available on the Sunday. We would also like details of the organ(s) to ensure that any voluntaries were suitable for the instrument(s). We would regard the experience as enrichment to our own musical lives as Church musicians, and as such, we would not expect a fee for playing, though perhaps travelling expenses from our accommodation to the church would be welcomed. If any church is interested in this offer, we would be pleased to discuss the matter in more detail, and we would provide testimonials from the churches in Scotland with which we are associated. Contact details: e-mail: a.bicket@rgc.aberdeen.sch.uk

The meeting was hosted by Sam Balden, Director of Music at Kerrisdale Presbyterian. The agreed plan for the evening was to hold the AGM business meeting, and follow it by refreshments and socialization.

The following persons were in attendance:
Rachel Alflatt Sam Balden
Cindy Leung Henry Hageman
Haruyo Abramson Tamar Genossar
Madelene Klassen Frank Ezinga
Susan Ohannesian Bob North

Regrets were received from David Poon and Michael Molnar.

Business matters:
1. Rachel Alflatt, President, welcomed the attendees.

2. Sam Balden, Secretary, distributed copies of the Minutes of the 2007 AGM.
- Business arising - substitute organists listing (Rachel has this on her home computer); web site (separate agenda item for this meeting); membership; several music sessions ideas; 2010 Victoria Convention (separate agenda item for this meeting). Moved Madelene/ Seconded Susan - approved.

3. Tamar Genossar, Treasurer, presented the Centre’s Financial Report, a copy of which is attached. Moved Bob/ Seconded Rachel - approved.

4. Membership information - Rachel advised that she is awaiting an updated report from the National Office.

5. Review of activities:
- Halloween event - written report received from David Poon.
- Rachel Laurin recital and master class.
- publication / promotion of concerts of others.
- Organ Crawl in New West - (written report to be requested from organizers).
- Member’s Recital at Gloria Dei Lutheran - (written report to be requested from organizers).
*On the matter of reporting, it was agreed that no reports to the National Office or to a publication (e.g. The American Organist) should be submitted by members directly, but rather through the Centre’s Executive.

6. Post 2010 Victoria RCCO Convention event in Vancouver:
A committee, headed by Rachel, met on May 25/08 and formulated an activities program for Thursday, July 22, 2010, with various responsibilities assigned to members.

7. The date and time for the Sixth Annual Members and Spouses BBQ at Sam and Mary Balden’s home was set for Sunday, July 6, anytime after 5 p.m. An invitation to members was to be sent immediately by e-mail.

8. Future planning:
- RCCO Centennial Celebrations - Rachel referred to a letter from the RCCO Archivist, and advised that suggestions for the celebrations will be forthcoming from the National Office; October 19 is the kick-off date, which coincides with the International Year of the Organ; ideas for the involvement of children at churches with organs for October 19 were discussed; appropriate material should be scanned to the membership.
- Halloween event - there is a desire to continue this event at St. Andrew’s-Wesley, and the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 28 was decided upon. This date accommodates David and Michael, who have assisted in the past. Cindy agreed to be the event organizer.
- Travelling clinician - our request for Jonathan Oldengarm has been approved - he will give a recital at Holy Rosary Cathedral on February 20, 2009 and a Master Class on February 21.
- Frank Ezinga’s church has a new Casavant organ - an event involving RCCO members is desirable, and the first half of October was suggested, with the evening of October 4 a possibility.
- Fall Organ Crawl - a theatre organ in a Burnaby residence had been previously suggested; the Sunday afternoon of November 16 was proposed.
- Member’s Recital for spring 2009 - an ‘open’ theme was agreed to. Rupert Lang at Christ Church Cathedral had offered his church and the Kenneth Jones tracker organ, and it was decided to accept the offer - May 8 or 9 would be preferred.
- DVD showings are planned for January/February 2009 - Sam has a J.S.Bach recital in Leipzig, and a feature on the Liverpool Cathedral (Anglican) organ - Sam will host at Kerrisdale Presbyterian: Susan said she’d do popcorn.

9. Web site:
- Frank Ezinga, Vice-President, reported that the rights have now been successfully transferred to us and the site is up and running (rcco.bc.ca) - the substitute organists list and calendar of events are to be added. Thanks to Frank were extended for his persistent efforts.

10. Education:
- the Centre’s bursary was not awarded in 2007.
- the bursary details are to be added to the web site.

11. Additional matters:
- RCCO examinations - a marshall and supervisor are needed for these exams - Bob and Henry volunteered to take this on.
- Member’s recital - for future consideration - other talents of our members could be featured - e.g. organists who play other instruments.

12. Election of Officers:
- President - Rachel Alflatt
- Vice-President - Frank Ezinga
- Treasurer - Tamar Genossar
- Secretary - Haruyo Abramson (Sam Balden having decided to resign in order to take the RCCO Regional Director for B.C. position)
- Members-at-large - Bob North, Sam Balden

13. Thanks were extended to Susan and Madelene for the provision of refreshments.

14. Madelene kindly provided the book “All the Stops” as a prize - it was decided to utilize this at the upcoming BBQ.

Sam Balden, Secretary